Bertie Edward Hunt

A Mate with Fishing Vessel Westfield (Milford Haven), Bertie died on 6th of July 1941 at the age of 46.

Bertie was born at Lowestoft on 8 June 1895, a son of Ephraim and Elizabeth Frances Hunt. He was baptised at Christchurch, Lowestoft, on 3 July 1895, and his family lived at 5 Rant Score East, Lowestoft, which was still their home in 1901. By 1911 the family were living at 1 Salter Street, Whapload Road, Lowestoft. 

Bertie joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 31 December 1914. He was found to be medically unfit to serve as a seaman, but was allowed to re-enrol as a stoker on 18 January 1915, service number S 5985. 

From 20 January 1915 he served with H.M.S. Admiral Farragut, which was later renamed H.M.S. Abercrombie. Bertie saw served in the Dardanelles, Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean. From 4 October 1918 he served with H.M.S. Tyne and served as a member of a coaling party. He was demobilized on 17 March 1919. 

On 19 June 1919 Bertie married Violet Kathleen Woodcock at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Bertie was a mariner living at 41 Ipswich Road, and Violet lived at 62 Ipswich Road, Lowestoft. Later they lived at 58 Ipswich Road and, in 1939, at 62 Ipswich Road, when Bertie was a deep sea fisherman. 

On 6 January 1940 Bertie applied to re-enter the Royal Naval Reserve as a Skipper, but he was found to be ineligible. He could, however, apply to join the Royal Naval Patrol Service as a Second Hand.  

In July 1941 Bertie worked as the Mate on the fishing vessel Westfield. Several of the Westfield’s crew were from the Lowestoft area. The Westfield was reported to be missing, of St. Govan’s Head, on, or after, 6 July 1941. The vessel was supposed to have been sunk by German aircraft. It was assumed that Bertie was drowned. All ten of the Westfield’s crew were lost. 

Bertie’s father, Ephraim Hunt, died in 1916 in the loss of the trawler Datum.